Stepladder



Dec. 18, 1934- M. RASSMUSSEN STEPLADDER Filed Dec. 13, 1933 m N m mATTORN 1;2. 4

Patented Dec. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT cmc 2 Claim5.

'Ihis invehtion relates'particularly to a. type of laclder embodying twosections, ea'0h hafi'1ing steps, orrungs therzon, aincl soafrange'd thatjene of the sections ma.y be optionally hinged to or extensiblysupported on the other secfiion, and whenhihge'dly stuported, soarranged that the exte11sible section may be fulcrumed at any one of aselectednumber of points. Thus, such a ladder ma'y be either se1fsupporting with one of the sections forming a brace for the othersecticn, 01 when the two sections are adjusted and. ezgtended, one uponthe other,the two sections will se1Ve es an ordina.ry extension la.dderadapted 150 reSc aga.inst a wall o1 other supporting srface atits upp'erend.

Antherobject is Co -D1bvide a ladde1 01 maxi- 1'nurn rigidity ari'c1dura.bility Wherein' the side 1ails 'ar'eprovided-on their inner'sideswith reinfcrcing ribs mortised. into longitudinal grooves inthe'railsarid arrangedso that in cross section seid ribs 'willbedisp0sed at right angles to the rails, thereby providing side rai1sof Tcro'ss 'section.

A furt'hiar object is to prov-ide a1; the top 0f tne mein section of theladde1a. platf0rm which may be hingedly securd t0 the tp step ofth'esecticzn and adaptedto be additio'nally suppolt'ed atan op'p0sit'eedge thereof on a step 01 rung 01 the adjustable section, so th.tunder crtain cbndinihs saidplatforin may bc used :for supp'orting a woikmanfoia'ny desired purpose.

Other objects inc1udez the provision cf Teinfc' rcing cleats undr'theforward edges of the stps or t1eads; the prcivision cf a shallow tray atthe tcp of the adjustable section which is detachbly supported andadapted to be used for suppoftin articles, fioo1s, eqipmexit, etc. in aposition convenient 130 a wofkman using the Iadder. Still 0ther objectsma.yappea r as the description progresses.

In the -ac'companying drawing I have shwn'a preferred form 0f myinv6ntion, subject to modification withinthe scope of the appendedclaims without *c1eparting from the spirit thereof. In said dra.Wing:

Fig. 1 is a. perspect iveview of my impro'ved la.dder with the twostactions hingedly connected, one cf said sections having stepsas in thewel1 known braced type of domestic stepladder and theothe'r sectionhaving rungs as usual1y providecl in an extension 1adder for externa1use.

Fig. 2 iss. side elevation cf the form of ladder sh0wn in Fig. 1 Withthe adjustable section slightly elevated above the other section andhirige'dly 'Co'nnerzced threwith, as When the ladder is used 011 aninclined surface or when one section is supported at a. point on astairway above the leve1 cf the bottom of the other section.

Fig. 3is a side elevation of the ladder'with th'e twb Sections eXtendedohe up0n the other so fo1i'n a'n extension ladde'r.

Fig. 4 is an e1'11'ar'gi'ad fragmentary perspective view 0f porti'oh'sof Ehe two sections and the me'a'.ns for a'djustably connecting the samefor use.

Fig. 5 is a. pe"rsp'e'ctive view of me structure shdWn in Fig. 4 as seenfrom the interior cf the ladder.

Fig. 6 is a. fragmentary view,in' perspective, of a cet1tral pdrtioh ofthe main section showing details of' the structure.

Figure '7 i's a fragm6ntary section showing the two secticms in extendedpositi0ns a.nd means forcn'necting the sar'ne together.

As preferaely arrariged the ladde1 embodied in this invention isarr'ang'edfor in't-ernal and external 1ise, and to tha.t eiader'r1bodies certaiu characteristics of the ordin2iry stiep1adder and anextensi0n ladder. Accordingly Iprovide a main seCtion 1 hzi.ving thegeneral appeauance of a household stepladdr and. a relatively ad.-justable-sction 2 s0mewht similmr a langer ai1d different type of ladderused fo1 outside purposes.

The two se(ztions a.re hingedly and'extensibly cohnected 'at-poifits 3,3 near the uppe1 extrem ties ther'eof, am]. the n'1ain section 1 isp'r0vided w'ith a platfcrm 4 while a shallow tray 5 '1s c&rried on theupper end. of the adjustabie sectio n 2.

The se'ction 1 embod.itas side rails 6, 6, a1- ra.nged edgewise, ea'chof whi :h is longitudina'mlly grooved onits' inn'er side ab 7 to receivea rib 8 adapted. to be permanently attache'd to the rai1 within Sa'idgroove by suitable mea'ns, therebyproviding a rigid rail at ee.ch sidcof the 1adder sectin of T cross section. A 'plurality cf steps, 01treads 9 are att1ched at their ends to the ra.i1s 6, 6, prefer'ably 'bygrooving the rai1s trarisversely, as at 10, anc1 at the f1ont ofth(e'ladder section c1ea.ts 11, 11, etc. m.y be pr0vided. be'ne.bh thefront edges cf the treads 9 9.nd attached at their ends so the rai1s 6Within grooves 12, as shown.

The rails 6, 6 are cross connected and. rigidly tied togethier ab aplrality cf points iminediate1y berieath the treads 9, 9, etc. bymeanscf 1118 rods 13, 13 aira'ngecl in p3irS, the ende of said rods be'ingeXtendecl thr0u'gh the ra.ils 6, 6 and. p1ates 14, 14, etc. which arelaidtransversely 'of the rai1s. Nuts 15, 15, aretightly secuted'on theends of the rods 13 externa.lly 01" the plates14, as shown inFig. 6,for"'rigidly Securing the parts of the e'mssembled sec'tion 1 together.

The adjustable section 2 is of simple form with spaced rails 16, 16 ancl1ungs 1'7, 17, etc. connecting anal suitably secured to the rails attheir ends, but said sec1zion 2 may also be formed with horizontal stepsor treads as in section 1 if desired, 01 otherwise. Preferably the rails16, 16 are spaced laterally so as correspond to and to overlie the rails6, 6, of section 1 a1; least Tor a substantial distance, so that whenthe two sections a1e arranged in extended positions as shown in Fig. 3,the section 2 will be braced and supported by the section 1.

Near the upper extremities of rails 6, 6, I.

provide attaching plates 18, 18 which are secured to 1:he 1ails 6permanently by means cf bolts 19, 19, etc. and have flat body portionswhich oyerlie the ou1ser sicles 0f rails 6 ancl 16 at each side- Saidplaes have flanges 20 and 01' the ladder. 21 a1: their opposite ends Which are bent 110 lap over the front edges of the rails 6, 6 and 1:herear edges of rails 16, 16, respectively. Said flanges are formed atangles t0 conform 10 the angularity 01 the 1adder sections 1 and 2 whenthey a1e connected as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Rails 6, 6 a1e cut' a1:their upper extremities on lines 18, 18' and paralleling the fianges 21so as 10 abu1; the front edges of rails 16, 16 when the two sections 01the ladder are disposed as shown in Fig. 1.

The rails 16, 16, cf section 2 are provided with horizontally oppositeperforations 23, 23, etc., at regularly spaced points intermediate theirends for receiving' a detachable hinge r0d 24 which is normally carriedby the pla'oes 18, 18 and is adaptecl so be extendecl through a selectedpair of the perforations 23 in the rails 16, 16, fo1 hinging the section2 section 1 of he ladder a1; a selected elevation. When properlypositioned the r0d 24 is held by means 0f a nuc or nuts 25 attached toone or both ends of the rcd, onenut on1y being necessary when the rod isprovided wi1;h a head at its other end.

The rails 6, 6, internally are provided with reinforcing p1ates 26opposite the p1ates 18 and attached 110 1;he rails by means of ehe bolts19 extending through the plates 18 and rails and Which a1so hold theplates in position. Plates 26 have feet as a1: 27 engaging the innerside of the rail 6, in each case, and central U shaped portions 28 whichoverlie the ribs 8.

Section 1 is provided With a foldable platform 1 which is hinged ac itsforward edge 110 1Jhe uppermost step 9 of the section bymeans; 0f hinges30, 30, and the rear edge portion thereof is supported on one 0f eherungs 17 0f the ad.- justable section 2 when 1:he platform is positionedf01 use, as shown in Fig. 1. When not in use the platform may 100 foldedupwardly against the 1ibs 8, 8, ina.smuch as the p1atforrn is of such aWidth tha1; 113 may be moved or rest becween the rails 16, 16 0f section2,

Section 2 may be provided With a shallow tray 5 which is preferablydetachable and is adapted 130 be supported an a.ny one of the rungs 17,but preferably the t0p rung, as shown. 'Ihe tra.y Inas a fiat attachingmember 31 of semicircular cr0ss section centrally he1d thereon andextended forwardly so as to detachably engage one of 1;he rungs 17. 'Ihetray has ends 32, 32 Which are disposable in Ehe planes of the rai1s 16,16 and the forward edges thereof we beveled a s at 33 1:0 perrnit thetray 130 be swung upwardly behind 1:he rails 16, 16, in order 1:0 hookthe member 31 on the rung 1'7. Thereafter the tray is m0ved downwardlyun1:i1 1:he ends 32, 32 engage the rails 16, 16 and preven1; thedisengagement of the member 31 from the rung 17.

A1; one or more points be1ow the upper extremity of section 1 thg rai1s6, 6, areprovided With plates 34, 'which aL1e attached to the rails bymeans 0f bolts 35 and additionally, if necessary, by means of bolts 36extended through 1;he ribs 9 and through U shapecl portions 37 of theplates which extend around said ribs, as shown in Fig. 7. Said plates 34are attached the inner sides 0f the rails 6, 6, and extend rearwardlyfrom the rails for engagement with the outer sides of ehe rails 16, 16,015 the section 2 of the ladder. The extended portions of the plates 34have perforations 38 adapted 1;0 receive a tie rod, as at 24, thusholding the lower portion of section 2 snugly and firmly against 1;herear edges of 1;he tails 6, 6, of section 1 when the ladder is used asan extension ladder as shown in Fig. 3. In such case 1;he flanges 21 ofplates 18 engage the rear edges of rails 16, 16 a1; the upper extremity01 section 1 and prevent the disengagement of ehe tw0 sections.

The tie 'rod. 24 which connects the sections 1 and 2 when the sectionsare arranged as shown in Fig. l, may be 1em0ved from the plates 18 -andconnectecl with the plates 34 when the sections are arranged as sh0wn inFig. 3, the rod 24 being threaded through the perforations 23 at aselected elevation and 1;he nut 25 attached t-hereto for preventing thedisengagement of the two sections.

I1: Will be observed from the foregoing description and 1:he drawingillustra1zing my invention that I have provided a ladder which isadaptable 1:0 many uses either inside or outside of a building f0rdomestic and industrial purposes.

What I clairn ist 1. A ladder comprising a, main section and arelatively adjustable section, each having a pair of rails With treadsat spaced intervals thereon, 1:he rails of 1;he 1 wo sections beingcorrespondingly spaced apart, attaching members secured 1:0 and extendedrearwardly of the rails of sa.id main section for hingedly and slidablyreceiving the rai ls of ehe adjustable section, said attaching membershaving p0xtions adapted to extencl around the rails 0f the adjustablesection, a r0d fo1 cross connecting the rai1s of the two sections andinsertible through said attaching members, 1;he rails of the adjustablesection being provided with correspondingly positioned orifices forreceiving said rod, whereby the adjustable section may be hingedlyconnect6cl With the main sekz1aion a1: any one of a plurality of pointsiritermedite ehe ends of the endjustablesection, for providing a selfsupporting ladderstructure.

2. A ladderas characterized in claim 1 including fixtures secured to andextended rea.rwardly from the rails of saidmain section a1;corresponding points intermediate the ends of the main section f0rengagement With the rails of the adjustable section, Whereby when saidrod is removed from Sa'id attaching members ancl attached to saidfixtures said attaching mezhbers an'd said fixtures Will serve tosupp0rt said sections in longitudinal alinement as an extension ladde1.

MARTIN RASSMUSSEN.

